Google to integrate Local Services Ads into Google Ads by 2027

Image credit: Search Engine Journal

Google will begin integrating its Local Services Ads into the primary Google Ads platform starting August 2026, centralizing campaign management for advertisers in the United States and globally by the end of 2027.

This consolidation aims to streamline advertising workflows, though it will necessitate adjustments to bidding strategies and reporting mechanisms for businesses utilizing Local Services Ads, according to Google.

The initial migration phase in August 2026 will involve a limited selection of U.S. advertisers, specifically those in the pet care, home services, wellness and education sectors, Google said.

The company plans to complete the full transition for all remaining accounts, including those outside the U.S. and other business categories, by the end of 2027.

Under the new structure, Local Services campaigns will operate within Performance Max campaigns, focusing on pay-per-lead objectives. This integration will maintain keywordless search and Google Maps visibility for these services.

Advertisers will continue to pay for valid leads, such as calls, messages or bookings, rather than clicks, but all campaign and lead management will occur directly within the Google Ads interface, replacing the separate Local Services Ads dashboard.

Operational changes include a shift from average weekly budgets to average daily budgets. Manual bidding and vertical-level Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) will be deprecated, with advertisers instead managing a single campaign-level Target CPA.

Google advised that historical performance reports currently available in the Local Services Ads dashboard will not automatically transfer to Google Ads. Advertisers must download these reports before their accounts are migrated to retain access to past data.

Businesses will receive advance notifications regarding their account migration, with Google providing both 14-day and seven-day warnings before the transition occurs.

Source: Search Engine Journal